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For more than four decades, Morrison & Foerster has participated in the development of the Israeli market, representing numerous Israeli companies globally, at every stage of their evolution, as well as the foreign investors and investment banks that finance those companies.

We are one of a handful of law firms that combine comprehensive legal advice, covering current market practices and trends relating to capital raising, with leading intellectual property analysis and advice. We provide securities and capital markets advice that is sharply focused on technology-centric companies. We believe that this expertise, as well as our historic commitment to Israel, has contributed to our long and successful track record with Israeli clients.

Our work with Israeli companies is concentrated in the following areas:

Late Stage and Pre-IPO Private Placements. Our lawyers regularly advise issuers, placement agents and investors in connection with private placements of equity, debt and hybrid securities. Private placements may be the first step for a venture capital or entrepreneurial client, or an alternative for a well-established issuer needing to raise capital when the public equity markets are unavailable. As privately held companies choose to remain private longer and defer their initial public offerings or other liquidity opportunities, these companies are focused on raising capital in private placements principally to institutional investors, cross-over funds and strategic investors. Often, these late-stage private placements are a prelude to an initial public offering. Late-stage private placements raise a number of special considerations for issuers, investors and financial intermediaries. We are among the market leaders in private placements, late-stage private placements, and PIPE transactions.

Corporate and Securities Transactions. In the last decade we have been a leading international firm for public offerings by Israeli companies. We help Israeli companies undertake cost-effective IPOs, follow-on public offerings and other capital market transactions, leveraging our broad practice in both technology and cross-border public offerings. For example, in 2014, we advised Mobileye NV, the maker of software for driverless cars, on its $890 million IPO, the largest U.S. IPO ever by an Israeli company.

The depth of our capital markets experience, combined with our expertise in some of the most active industries for offerings, makes us a resource for companies and underwriters conducting public offerings. Our work has been recognized in trade publications as well as legal and financial publications. In 2014, our representation of the Israel Electric Corporation in its global bond offering was highlighted as one of the top 3 International Financial Law Review’s notable European Debt Deals of the Year.

Intellectual Property Protection and Licensing. Morrison & Foerster is an intellectual property powerhouse, offering an unbeatable combination when it comes to IP. We have extensive experience in the strategic planning of patent portfolios, including writing successful patent applications in complex and novel situations, and in anticipation of possible future litigation. Additionally, we are recognized as one of the world’s leading law firms handling complex technology transactions, including negotiating and structuring complex licensing deals. When litigation threatens, we are called upon to represent clients in protecting their most valuable IP assets, with our distinguishing ability to handle issues of any complexity in nearly any venue, involving any technology. Leading third-party guides to the legal industry routinely take notice of our IP capabilities: Our recent accolades include Chambers USA’s 2013 “IP Firm of the Year”, Law360’s 2013 and 2015 IP Practice Group of the Year and U.S. News & World Report-Best Lawyers’ 2013 and 2015 “Law Firm of the Year for Information Technology Law”, as well as being named one of three 2014 “IP Litigation Powerhouses” and a 2015 IP VIP by BTI Litigation Outlook.

Mergers, Acquisitions and Strategic Alliances. We advise Israeli companies, investors, and venture and private equity funds in negotiating and structuring cross-border transactions. We have advised on some of the most significant cross-border acquisitions involving Israeli companies, including: Mellanox’s acquisition of Voltaire; NCR’sacquisition of Retalix; Siemens AG’s acquisition of Solel Solar Systems; Sigma Designs’ acquisition of CopperGate; Syneron’s acquisition of Primaeva Medical and merger with Candela Corporation; St. JudeMedical’s acquisition of MediGuide; Hewlett Packard’s acquisition of Mercury Interactive; DSP Group’s acquisition of the cordless and VoIP business of NXP Semiconductors; McKesson’s acquisition of Medcon;Spansion’s acquisition of Saifun; and PMC Sierra’s acquisition of Passave.

Litigation and Dispute Resolution. We conduct litigation and international arbitration proceedings throughout the United States and around the world to protect the global interests of our clients. We have represented The Hebrew University, Negevtech, Notal Vision, Pharmos, PowerDsine, Syneron and many other Israeli companies in intellectual property and securities litigation and arbitration.

Geographies

Our global reach is important to Israeli companies, as well as to the international enterprises and venture and private equity funds seeking to do business in Israel.

Asia-Israel Cross-Border Transactions. We have a significant footprint in Asia and offer our clients experience, introductions, and practical guidance in dealing with Asian companies. With offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore, and the largest law office of any international firm in Tokyo, we regularly represent clients in Israeli joint ventures in China and advise on investments by Asian-based investors in Israeli companies. We also advise on transactional and licensing matters between Israeli and Asian companies.

Europe-Israel Cross-Border Transactions. Israel and the European Union enjoy a strong economic relationship. From our three European offices, we are well positioned to assist Israeli companies exploit that relationship and advise in connection with their business activities and strategic priorities throughout Europe. The breadth and depth of our integrated offices and practices provides important benefits to our multinational clients particularly in connection with their cross-border investments. Our German team headquartered in Berlin, which has become a leading technology hub, is widely regarded as a valuable resource for technology-based clients around the world. Our German lawyers advise on corporate and M&A, capital markets, commercial/IP, antitrust and sector specific regulation, litigation, tax structures for cross-border activities, employment, data protection and data security. Our London and Brussels offices boast top tier capital markets practitioners, private equity and M&A specialists and licensing law experts and EU competition, IP, data protection and privacy experts.

Industries

Our lawyers are highly experienced in their practice areas and in a wide range of industries. Our experience in these industries enables us to offer insights that may enhance the economics of a transaction or inform our clients’ strategies and approaches. Our industry knowledge enables us to provide informed, practical guidance. This is especially important in highly regulated industries. We help clients respond quickly to changes in the legal and regulatory environment, as well as to competitive pressures and industry trends.

Clean Technology and Renewable Energy. In recent years, we have become one of the leading firms in the clean technology and renewable energy market. We are able to leverage our extensive technology and energy regulatory experience to advise investors and companies in the clean technology market. We have a long history of representing investors, emerging companies and established companies in a variety of “green” industries, including alternative energies, water technologies and recycling.

Cybersecurity. The tremendous growth of technology as a means of communicating and conducting commerce presents unique privacy and security challenges for businesses and consumers alike. Morrison & Foerster has garnered a reputation as a leading cybersecurity and privacy firm. For the second straight year, the firm was named the Legal 500’s 2015 Cyber Crime Firm of the Year. We are the firm of choice for numerous clients in handling cybersecurity and data breach responses. We are particularly adept at counseling companies that operate in highly regulated sectors (such as financial services, healthcare, retail, and pharmaceuticals) and those operating internationally. Our in-house cybersecurity specialists include a member of the Dutch Cyber Security Council and active member of the board of directors of the U.S. National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance,

FinTech. FinTech—the intersection of finance and technology—is one of the fastest growing segments in the financial services marketplace. Morrison & Foerster has long been recognized at that intersection as a leading financial services and technology firm. This particular expertise makes us an ideal partner for financial technology companies and their investors. Our FinTech resume includes serving as counsel to Softbank on the largest single financing to date in the FinTech space, the $1 billion late stage investment in SoFi, a leading marketplace lender. Fast-growing FinTech companies appreciate that we are able to provide advice on the regulatory environment affecting financial services, as well as advice on corporate and securities, M&A, licensing, privacy, and intellectual property matters. Our advice is informed by our extensive expertise in financial services, technology, intellectual property protection, data protection and cybersecurity, as well as our deep understanding of how industry-specific practices and regulations affect the implementation of technology solutions.

Life Sciences. Morrison & Foerster provides a full range of services to clients in the biotechnology, medical device, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. The firm's Life Sciences Group has over 180 lawyers in offices around the world, working with life sciences companies at every phase of their growth cycle, including formation and financing of early-stage ventures; start-up technology transfer; structuring and negotiating licenses, research and development collaborations, and other technology transactions; corporate partnerships and collaboration; planning and developing intellectual property portfolios; mergers and acquisitions; initial public offerings and follow-on securities offerings; protecting and defending intellectual property rights; and siting, permitting, developing and financing new research and manufacturing facilities. Our global practice offers unrivalled transactional expertise. We provide advice on all aspects of corporate and commercial transactions and issues relevant to life sciences companies, their investors and advisors.

Technology. For many years, Morrison & Foerster has been recognized as one of the world's leading law firms handling complex technology transactions. We recognize that the technology market is multifaceted. Much of our added value to our clients derives from our understanding of how technology makes a difference within a particular sector or industry, and how industry-specific practices and regulations affect the implementation of technology solutions. Over decades, we have invested significant resources in developing market-leading technology law expertise in a number of different sectors that have embraced and enhanced technology including Cloud Computing + As-a-Service Platforms (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), Security; Gaming, Digital, Media + Entertainment; Semiconductors; Software; Mobility, Wireless + Telecoms; Consumer Products + Retail; Energy + Natural Resources; Financial Services Technology; Life Sciences; Medical Technology, Health Care; and Transportation.

Financial Times: US Innovative Lawyers Overall winner of the Innovation in Social Responsibility category, 2016 One of four firms ranked “Standout” in the category of New Products and Techniques, 2016 One of four firms ranked “Standout” in the category of Enabling Clients Business, 2015 One of five firms ranked “Standout” in the category of Finance, 2012

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